As they prepare for Thursday night's game against the Cincinnati Bengals, the Ravens are doing extra work on their bodies to bounce back from a short week.
All-Pro safety Kyle Hamilton said playing two games in a four-day span is always demanding.
"I think it's a physical thing, obviously, but it's a big mental thing as well – trying to get the gameplan as tight as possible before Thursday," Hamilton said. "The team that brings the most energy usually wins these games."
Second-year linebacker Trenton Simpson has already learned that he can't take shortcuts to his approach to playing on short rest.
"After meetings today, I'm going to stay another extra hour cold tubbing and hot tubbing," Simpson said. "I'm going to bed earlier, getting massages. That's something a lot of guys are doing to help us be ready."
Chase Brown's 120-Yard Game Got Ravens' Attention
Stopping the run is always a priority for Baltimore's defense, but it may be harder to make the Bengals' offense one-dimensional on Thursday.
Running back Chase Brown had a career-high 120 yards on 27 carries in Week 9 against the Las Vegas Raiders. Brown (ribs) was on the Bengals' injury report but was listed as a full participant Monday and Tuesday.
The Ravens held Brown to 46 yards on 12 carries in Week 5, and Simpson said the Ravens can't afford to let Brown get off.
"We've got to be fundamentally sound and on the same page," Simpson said. "We need to be relentless. When we play like that and execute the game plan, we're fine. The last game was a glimpse of what this defense can be. But we've got a lot we can improve on."
The Ravens have the NFL's No. 1 ranked run defense giving up just 75.7 yards per game. In the first meeting the Bengals only had 71 rushing yards and holding them to another low number starts with containing Brown.
Every AFC North Team Makes a Trade
Ahead of Tuesday's 4 p.m. trade deadline, every AFC North team got in on the action.
The Browns were sellers, dealing defensive end Za'Darius Smith to the Lions, but the Steelers, Bengals, and Ravens all added players.
Pittsburgh traded for wide receiver Mike Williams from the Jets and got defensive end Preston Smith from Green Bay. The Steelers had long been looking for another wide receiver, and they got one in the big-bodied Williams.
The Bengals added to their strong offense by acquiring running back Khalil Herbert from the Bears. Herbert had a solid first three seasons in the league but only has eight carries this season. The move comes as Cincinnati placed running back Zack Moss on injured reserve with a neck injury.
Baltimore made one of the last moves of the day, trading a 2026 seventh-round pick for a 2027 seventh-round pick and cornerback Tre'Davious White. White is a two-time Pro Bowler who could help the Ravens secondary.
